Retroid Pocket 5: the must-have AliExpress Black Friday deal

The Retroid Pocket 5 - does that ring a bell? If not, it’s worth paying attention: it’s among the top sellers for Black Friday on AliExpress. If you’re into retro gaming as well as newer titles from the Play Store, this handheld console has plenty to keep you busy.

Even better, it’s available at a seriously low price during AliExpress Black Friday: with the code BFFR20 or FRBF20, the Retroid Pocket 5 drops to €165 instead of €299.

That’s a substantial saving of €134, or -46%. For thirty- and forty-somethings who miss classic console games, it’s an obvious choice. It’s also a great Christmas present for a teenager or child, since it can run Play Store games too.

To check the Black Friday deal on the Retroid Pocket 5, head here:

In short, it’s a versatile console that’s likely to appeal to a wide range of players. And by ordering from AliExpress, you get free delivery within just a few days - it should arrive well before Christmas, ready to go under the tree. The price includes VAT, and the console comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.

If it’s not for you (unlikely, but you never know), you have 15 days to return it and receive a refund. And if you’re buying it for yourself while keeping some budget back to treat loved ones at Christmas, you can also choose PayPal’s 4 interest-free instalments - €41.25 today, then the same amount over the next three months.

The history of video games in your pocket

If you spent hours on your PS2 battling the Colossi, if you still remember the GTA San Andreas cheat code, or if the GameCube start-up sound still gives you goosebumps, you’re exactly the target audience. The Retroid Pocket 5 is designed for people in their thirties and forties who want to revisit the games of their youth without hauling old consoles out of the loft.

And it’s not limited to nostalgia - it isn’t the sort of gadget that ends up forgotten after three weeks. You can also play the latest Android games from the Play Store, stream through cloud gaming, or even connect the console to your TV using the Micro HDMI output. Put simply, it’s a huge slice of video game history packed into just 280 grams.

With over 2,000 units sold on AliExpress and an average rating of 4.9 out of 5, success on that scale doesn’t happen by accident. So what can you actually play on it? Pretty much anything you fancy. PlayStation 2 runs smoothly, including classics such as God of War, Final Fantasy X, GTA San Andreas, Persona 4, Kingdom Hearts, and more.

Nintendo is equally well covered, with the GameCube and plenty of recognisable favourites: Super Smash Bros Melee, Mario Kart Double Dash, Zelda Wind Waker and Twilight Princess - plus Nintendo 64 titles that defined the era: Super Mario 64, Zelda Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask, GoldenEye 007, Mario Kart 64, and many others.

Add Dreamcast, PSP, PS1, Wii, and all the 8-bit and 16-bit machines - SNES, Mega Drive, NES. You also get Nintendo DS and 3DS for Pokémon, and even some lightweight Nintendo Switch games like Hollow Knight or Celeste. In other words, you’re looking at thousands of games, spanning from the NES in 1983 right through to PS2 and GameCube titles from the 2000s.

A premium-spec sheet

If you grew up with 50 cm CRT televisions that weighed 20 kg, prepare for a very different experience. The Retroid Pocket 5 features a stunning 5.5-inch AMOLED Full HD screen (1920 x 1080 pixels) at 60 Hz, delivering rich, vibrant colour (16.7 million), deep contrast, and inky blacks - letting you replay all the games mentioned above with a level of comfort and visual quality you simply didn’t have back then.

The 16:9 aspect ratio suits modern emulation perfectly, and the touchscreen makes it easier to move around Android menus. Some users even claim it’s one of the best displays ever seen on this type of handheld console.

Power comes from the Snapdragon 865 paired with 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and the Adreno 650 GPU - the same chip found in devices like the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Asus ROG Phone 3, and the Sony Xperia 5 II.

That means enough performance for demanding emulators and, of course, newer games - all without stutter. The Retroid Pocket 5 also includes 128 GB of UFS 3.1 storage, expandable via microSD, which is ample for building a large library without constantly worrying about space. It also has an active cooling system with a fan to help prevent overheating.

Another big highlight is its strong battery life, reaching up to 8 hours of continuous use thanks to a 5,000 mAh battery. With 27 W fast charging, it takes around 2 hours 30 minutes to recharge fully. For controls, you can rely on Hall Effect 3D joysticks with RGB lighting (a very sleek touch), offering accuracy for more demanding genres like FPS games or 3D platformers.

If you’re more into classic gameplay, the D-pad in the style of a PS Vita or Game Boy is the better option, especially for 2D retro titles. The console also includes analogue L2/R2 triggers, ideal for racing games or shooters. In the hand, it’s comfortable, and it supports modern wireless standards with Wi‑Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

On the ports side, you get USB‑C for charging and data transfer, a 3.5 mm jack, and the previously mentioned Micro HDMI output - making it easy to turn it into a home console setup when you’re back on the sofa.

Finally, the Retroid Pocket 5 runs Android 13, giving you access to the full Android ecosystem: the Google Play Store, streaming apps, web browsers, and, naturally, all the emulators available. At €165, it’s clearly our favourite handheld console pick for Black Friday 2025.

To grab the Retroid Pocket 5 at a dream Black Friday price, look right here:

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